Ron Ely, recognized for his role as the erudite Tarzan in NBC’s TV series from the 1960s, passed away on September 29, 2024. Ely, who was 86, died at his residence in Los Alamos, California.
Ely’s daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely, confirmed the news of his demise. She characterized her father as a multi-talented individual, describing him as “an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man, and leader.” She added that his positive influence was strongly felt wherever he went.
During the period of 1966 to 1968, Ely portrayed Tarzan as a well-educated bachelor who had become disillusioned with society and had chosen to return to the African jungle where he was raised. His interpretation of the character was unique in that he did not resort to monosyllabic grunts, unlike previous portrayals.
Born in Texas, Ely executed his own stunts during the show’s 57-episode run over two seasons, interacting directly with wild animals. The physical requirements of the role eventually wore him out, leaving Ely both mentally and physically exhausted by the end of the series.
After “Tarzan,” Ely maintained his acting career, starring in the 1975 movie “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze” and hosting the Miss America pageant in 1980 and 1981. In 2001, he chose to retire from acting to concentrate on his family, briefly returning to the screen in 2014 for the TV film “Expecting Amish.”
In October 2019, Ely’s life was marred by tragedy when his wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was fatally stabbed at their home by their son Cameron, aged 30, who was later shot and killed by the police. Ely and his daughters subsequently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county and its deputies, but the jury eventually concluded that the officers had acted in self-defense.
At the time of his death, Ely had been recuperating from a stroke he suffered around the same time as the 2019 incident. He is survived by his daughters, Kirsten Casale Ely and Kaitland Ely Sweet.
